4.1. Planning for Waste Management and Storage

Waste management plans should achieve the following⁵²:

Provide safe working conditions and comply with all applicable laws and regulations
Minimize the amount of waste generated
Segregate hazardous and non-hazardous wastes to allow optimum reclamation and disposal of each waste stream
Minimize the possibility that disposed wastes will cause future environmental problems or require future remediation
Provide sufficient temporary and interim storage to prevent delays in recovery operations
Cooperate with local community and government agencies to minimize impacts on local waste disposal facilities
Handle, store, and transport wastes in appropriate containers/tanks

Storage site, equipment, and method selection should be based on the type and volume of material to be stored, and consider the following factors⁵²:

Storage location and accessibility
Storage security, including protection from exposure to heat, fire, and weather, and availability of spill prevention, control, and countermeasures
Storage capacity and duration (days, weeks, or months) required, including ample space for segregation of non-compatible wastes
Type of material to be stored
Usage of regulatory-approved and/or performance-oriented containers
Expected method of disposal
Storage site emergency response plan

Figure 71: Storage options for hazardous household waste (left), contaminated sediments (middle), and volatile organic compounds (storage tank, right)

Footnotes

52. National Fire Protection Association. (2018). NFPA 472: Standard for Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents.; National Fire Protection Association. (2017). NFPA 1072: Standard for Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Emergency Response Personnel Professional Qualifications.